Staple-stitching machine



(No Model.) 6 Sh ets--Sh'eet 1..

F. S. BRADLEY & J. P. LAVIGNE. STAPLE STITGHING MACHINE.

No. 496,634. Patented May 2, 1893...

(NoModelJ- e Sheets-Sheet 2.

I, S. BRADLEY 82: J. P. LAVIGNE.-

STAPLE STITOHING MACHINE.

No. 496,634. I Patented May 2,1893.

(No Model.) BSheets-flheet a. -F. S. BRADLEY & J; P. LAVIGNE.

STAPLE STITGHING' MACHINE.

No. 496,634. atent-ed' May 2, 1893.

'3 Z In A (No Model.) s Sheets-Sheet 4.

P. S. BRADLEY 8; J, P. LAVIG-ITIEL- STAPLE STITOHING MACHINE.

No. 496,634. Patented May. 2,1893.

' '6Shee tsSh"eet 5.

Patented May 2, 1893.

\ 9 L w k 7 W (No Model.)

P. S. BRADLEY .&J. P'. LAVIGNE. STAPLE STITGHING MACHINE UNrrnn SrATEs PATENT OFFICE.

FRANK s. BRADLEY AND JOSEPH P. LAVIGNE, on NEW HAVEN,

CONNECTICUT.

STAPLE--STITCH|NG MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 496,634, dated May 2, 1893.

Application filed July 25, 1892. Serial No. 441,146- (No model.)

in Staple-Stitching Machines; and we do here:

by declare the following, when taken in connection with accompanying drawings and the letters of reference marked thereon, to be a fu-ll, clear, and exact description of the same, and which said drawings constitute part of this specification, and represent, in-

Figure l, a View in side elevation looking toward the feeding mechanism of a machine constructed in accordance with my invention; Fig. 2, a broken view of the machine partly in vertical section but chiefly in front elevation; Fig. 3, a broken view in front elevation on a large scale of the feeding, driving and clinching mechanism of the machine,

showing them in the positions due to them just after the wire has been fed and before it has been cut 0E; Fig. 4, a similar view omitting the feeding mechanism and showing the forming,driving and clinching mechanism in the positions due to them after the staple has been formed, driven and clinched. Fig. 5 is a broken rear view of the lower end of the box H and its arm H and the instrumentalities attached thereto. Fig. 6 is a view in vertical central section through the head or box of the machine showing the positions of the parts just after the wire has been fed, its ends being at this time on the face of the former. hensive section showing the elevation and retirement of the former permitting the inward movement of the anvil with its staple-length of wire which is thus brought into position to be acted upon by the former. Fig. 8, is a similar View showing the driver at the time of its engagement with the anvil for pushing the same out of the way to release the formed staple. Fig. 9 is a similar view showing the retaining spring about to engage with the crown of the staple to hold the same in place and in shape while it is being driven; Fig. 10, a detached view in transverse section of the former and driver. Fig. 11 is a detached View in vertical section through the arm L, showing the cutter M and the operating con- Fig. 7, is a similar but less comprenections thereof. Fig. 12 is a similar View showing the clinching mechanism.

Our invention relates to an improvement in staple-stitching machines, the object being to produce a compact, durable and effective machine, capable of rapid operation, containing few parts, and adapted to a considerable range of adjustment to suit different kinds of work.

With these ends in view, our invention consists in certain details of construction and combinations of parts as will be hereinafter described and pointed out in the claims.

As herein shown, the mechanisms of our improved machine are mounted in aframe or standard, consisting of a hollow upright post A, constructed at its lower end with a foot B, I by means of which it is secured to the floor,

with a hollow arm 0, curving outward and then directly upward, and with an oval head D,located at its 11 pper end, receiving the driving-pulley E, and the clutch mechanism thereof, and affording bearings for the ends of the driving-shaft F. As shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings the post A, is broken away just below the arm 0, which in fact offsets from it about midway of its length.

In describing the different mechanisms of the machine, wewill take them up in the orderof their succession in its operation, beginning with the mechanism for feeding the wire. I

The wire G, is coiled upon a spool G, which is mounted upon a spool-holding spindle G secured at its inner end to an arm G hung on a pivot G ,mounted in two cars G cast integralwith. the box or case H, and located a little to the right of the top thereof. A spiral spring G, interposed between the said arm G and the exterior surface of the box H, at a point close to the pin G and between the same and the spool-holding spindle G is proof the arm G under the influence of the spring G The rotation of the spool G8 upon the spindle G is controlled by tension springs G8 of ordinary construction. From this spool movably attached respectively to two corresponding intermeshed pinions J and J, by screws 9' j. The object of making the feedrolls removable from the pinions is to enable the rolls to be readily renewed when they are worn. The upper feed roll I, together with its pinion J, is mounted on a shaft 1 journaled in an arm H, offsetting to the left from the lower end of the box or case before re ferred to. The projecting rear or inner end of the shaft 1 is furnished with a ratchetwheel 1 which is engaged and actuated bya pawl 1 hung on a pin 1 mounted in the extreme inner end of the short arm I, of a bellcrank lever, swiveled on the said shaft 1 and having its longer arm I constructed with an elongated slot 1 which receives a clampingstud 1 located in the extreme end of the eccentric K, which projects through a clearance slot K formed for it in the box or case H. A thumb-screw 1 applied to the extreme inner end of the clamping-stud 1 is provided for binding the same to the arm I", at any point within the limits of the slot 1 therein, so as to adjust the throw of the pawl 1 and thereby regulate the feeding of the wire. A manual I located at the extreme inner end of the shaft 1 enables the same to be freely turned by hand in the direction required for rotating the feed-rolls in feeding the wire. This manual will be found convenient to use in feeding the wire 'for starting the machine and in testing the grip of the feed-rolls upon the wire. The lower feed-roll I and its pinion J are mounted upon a short shaft J the opposite ends of which are journaled in a swinging frame J hung from the arm H on a stud 1-1. This frame is provided with an inwardly proj ectiugearhaving aperforation J through which the .wire passes before it is-delivered to the feed-rolls. The upper end of the said frame is also provided with a lug J which is engaged by a tension-screw J mounted in an ear Jf, formed at the extreme outer end of the arm H. It will be apparent that by turning the screw J inward, the swinging frame J will be turned on its stud H and the feedrolls brought nearer together. By turning the screw J 7 backward, the lower feed-roll will drop away from the upper feed-roll by gravity, and relieve their grip on the wire.

From the feed-rolls just above described, the wire is led through a groove H formed in the upper face of a rib H extending forward from the 10 er edge of the arm H, to the cutting-off mechanism. This comprises a horizontal, cylindrical longitudinally slotted die L, mounted in the lower end of a cutterbox L, the lower end of which is longitudinally bored out to receive the said die, and constructed with a horizontal slot L leading into the said bore, and receiving a thin finger, extending into the slot of the die to prevent the same from turning in the box, and compelling the wire to run in the bottom of the die-slot, the said finger being formed upon the inner face and at the lower end of asmall block secured by a screw L to the lower end of the cutter-box L, which is secured in place by a screw L passing through a horizontally elongated slot L within the limits whereof the said cutter-box is horizontally adjustable. A vertical slot L formed in the extreme inner edge of the cutter-box, receives a long narrow shearing cutter M, which co-operates with the inner end of the die before mentioned, the upper end of this cutter being enlarged and slotted for engagement with the adjacent cog-like end .of a rocking-arm M, mounted upon a horizontal pin or shaft, and located in an opening M formed to receive it in the arm H. The projecting inner end of this rocking-arm is engaged for rocking the arm and depressing the cutter M, by the curved lower end N, of the eccentric-rod N. A spring N interposed between the upper face of the projecting inner end of the said rocking arm and a lug N formed upon the rear face of the arm H, is provided for restoring the said arm to its normal position, in which its outer end is lifted for raising the vertically movable cutter M. This cutting off mechanism is in its main features like the cutting otf mechanism described in Patent No. 438,399, granted to us October 14, 1890, for a similar machine.

From the cutting-off mechanism just above described, the wire is fed to the staple forming and stapledriving mechanism, which must be described together. end of the die L, the wire enters into an aligned, conical opening 0, formed in a le like extension 0 of the face-plate, O, which is secured to the front of the case H. This conical opening guides and centers the wire and effects its right presentation to an open horizontal slot 19, formed in the lower end of the anvil P, which is hung on a horizontal pivot P, between two vertical lugs P P, formed integral with and projecting forward from the lower end of the said face-plate O. A spiral-spring P located between the faceplate and the extreme upper end of the anvil, exerts a constant effort to throw the lower end of the anvil inward. The inner face of the said lower end of the anvil is constructed at a point directly above the slot P, with a bevel P, by means of which the anvil is retired or pushed out of the way, as will be described later on. After the wire has been fed into the anvil and cut off,the anvil is allowed to move inward by the elevation and virtual retirement of the chambered former Q, which is rectangular in general outline, and adapted to play up and down in a slot Q, formed in the lower end of the case or box H, the former being thereto connected by arearwardly extending stud Q with the eccentric-rod N, at a point above the bent lower end N, thereof. The said former is constructed with a deep rectangular chamber Q located in the middle of its outer face, extending throughout its From the inner sides thereof and fill the said grooves.

length, and receiving the staple-driver which sets into it flush withits outer face, and is composed of a body or bar R, having a hardened driving-plate R", and a similar retaining-plate R secured to its lower end, which is thereto cut away upon its outer face. The upper end of the said bar is connected by a crank R with the outer eccentric R which is mounted upon the extreme end of the driving-shaft F, the said shaft extending beyond its bearing in the open frame or head D,

into the box or case H. The said eccentric R is encircled by the strap R of the eccentricrod N. By means of these connections, the formerand the driver are vertically reciprocated independently of each other from the same eccentric. We may here mention that the eccentric-rod K, through which the feeding mechanism is actuated,is the continuation of an ecccentric-strap K which encircles an eccentric K which is mounted on the drivingshaft F, and inclosed within the box H, being located directly back of the eccentric R before mentioned. As seen in Fig. 5 of the drawings the box is provided with a clearanceopening K for the eccentric-rod N. As seen in the same figure of the drawings also, the upper end of the formeris slotted as at Q to clearthe lower end of the crank B when the same is depressed for the depression. of the driver without a corresponding movement of the former. The opposite walls of the chamber Q, are constructed with vertical grooves q q, located directly opposite each other near the outer face of the former. These grooves are a very little larger in cross section than the cross-section ofrthe wire which they receive for forming the same into staples. grooves also receive the edges of the drivingplate R, which is just enough wider than the bar B, so that its edges will project from'the The retainingplate R of the driver, however, corresponds in width to the body R, being therefore narrower than the plate B, than which it is a little longer, as shown by Fig. 5 of the drawings, so as to form in the lower end of the driver, and in combination with the body R and the plate R, a little pocket r, to receive the middle portion of each staple lengthof wire, the said middle portion ultimately becoming the crown of the staple. By constructing theplates R and R as described, they may be readily reversed end for end when they become worn, or renewed. The lower end of the chamber in the former is cut away, as at Q so as not to interfere with the inward,

movement of the retaining-spring S, which as herein shown, corresponds in width to the width of the anvil to which itis attached by a screw S. This spring engages with the crowns of the staples and prevents the same from being displaced with reference to the driver and from being buckled while their ends arepiercing the papers or booksbeing stitched.

From the staple-forming and driving mechauismthestaples are delivered to the CllllCll'.

These mounted on the driving-shaft F.

ing mechanism which is located below. them. This comprises two pivotal clinchers T, T, hung upon horizontal pins 25, t, in an elongated slot T, formed in the edge and midway the length of a V-shaped head T to which the pivotal stitchilrg-tableT is attached. Normally the clinching faces t, which are slightly grooved longitudinally, are inclined toward each other, as seen in Fig. 3 of the drawings, whereby the ends of the staples are drawn together. The lower end of the clinchers are cut away to receive a horizontally en-- larged clinching head'U, having a short shank which is inserted into a slot formed in the upper end of a vertically movable clinching-rod U. Normally the said head isin the position in which it is shown by Fig. 3 of the drawings, being in that position disengaged from the inwardly extending arms T T of the clinchers, whereby the said arms are left free to turn by gravity'into their normal positions in which their clinching-faces t, 25, are inclined toward each other. When, however, the rod U is raised, the clinching-head U at its upper end strikes the inner ends of the clinchers, and .lifts them, as shown by Fig. 4 of the drawings, whereby the ends of the staple are bentinto their final positions, as shown in the said figure, which represents a staple V, applied to a book V. When the inner ends of the clinchers are elevated as described, their lower ends are thrown inward so as to virtually embracethe clinching-head by which they will'be separated and restored to their normal positions when the head is depressed into its normal'position, as shown by Fig. 3 of the drawings. The clinching-rod U, extends downward through the socket 0 formed at the upper end of the arm 0, and receives at its lowerend a coupling-rod U the lower end ,of which passes through the outerend of the operating lever U the projecting lower end of the said rod U being threaded to receive ai thumb-nut U. A spiral spring U encirc- IIO ling the rod U and interposed between the lower end of the clinching-rodand the upper face of the lever U forms ayielding'connection between said clinching rod and'tlever through which latter the rod U passes. A' spring WV, interposed between the arm .0, and

the outer end of the said' lever U, exerts a constant tendency to depress the said end of the arm, and therefore draw the clinchingrod U down into its normal position. said lever U is hung on a horizontal shaft U and its inner end which extends into the post A, is adapted to be engaged by the lower end of the upright operating-rodu, the upper end whereof has bearing in the head'D, and

The i is provided with a yoke u carrying an antifriction roll ta which is engaged by a cam a clearfrom this description that when the rise of the said cam engages with the said antifriction roll. M the operating-rod u, will be depressed with the effect of operating the lever It will be in lifting the clinching-rod U and hence I throwing the clinchers T T into their clinching positions.

The V-shaped head T before mentioned, is formed at the upper end of a post W, which fits into the socket O, and is vertically movable therein. A spiral spring W interposed between the lower end of the said post and the bottom of the socket, is employed in setting the table at the right elevation for the work to be done. The said table which may be used either in a horizontal or an inclined position, has pivoted to its under face, a lever X, constructed with a locking-slot X, which receives the projecting outer end of a stud X the said stud being threaded at its extremity to receive a manual X which is turned up against the lower end of the lever to clamp the same when adjusted for supporting the table in its horizontal position. The said stud enters the post W before mentioned, and projects through a vertical, elongated slot 0 formed in the socket 0. It is apparent that when the manual is turned up against the lever, that the post will be drawn against the adjacent wall of the socket and bound and fixed in position. When it is desired to set the table at the right elevation for stitching a quantity of books, for instance, the manual is turned so as to relieve the post and permit thetable to be lifted into an elevated position in which it will be temporarily supported by the spring W One of the books of the lot to be stitched is then placed in the machine which is operated in applying a staple to the book. During this operation the former of the forming and driving mechanism will engage with the book and compress the same, and transmit its downward pressure to the table, which will retire against the action of the spring W until the table is exactly accommodated in its vertical position to the thickness of the book to be stitched. When the former has reached the limit of its down throw, the manual or looking-lever is tightened up to bind the post against the adjacent wall of the socket, whereby the table will be sustained in that position until it is necessary to reset it again. In setting the machine the thumb-nut U is adjusted until the tension of the spring U when compressed is sufficient to lift the vertically movable clinching-rod U, and hence the clinching-head U when the machine is doing its heaviest work. 7 The clinchers T T against which the clinching head works will operate more or less freely according to the heaviness of the work which they are called upon to do. The power actually required therefore to lift the clinching-rod will vary. The clinching-mechanism is however automatically accommodated to this variation through the spiral spring U which is compressed more or less according to the power required to lift the rod.

The machine is also provided with a clutchmechanism which may be of any approved construction, such for instance as the clutch mechanism shown and described in connection with our patent hereinbefore referred to. The cam u forms a feature of this mechanism, which is operated'by a treadle, which it has not been thought necessary to show or describe herein.

Although the operation of our machine has been largely described in connection with the foregoing description, its successive steps will be briefly set forth again.

Let it be assumed that the wire has been fed into the anvil, at which time its ends will be engaged with the face of'the former, as shown by Fig. 5 of the drawings, the drivingbar being at this time in an elevated position. The former will now be lifted above the anvil, which is thus allowed to move inward under the action of its spring E and the wire is cut off, and is moved by the anvil under the former,its ends then resting against the face of the box H, as shown by Fig. 6 of the drawings, and being located directly be neath the grooves Q Q in the former which now descends and bends them to form the staple, the middle or crown portion whereof is stillheld by the anvil. Both the former and the driver now descend, the former engaging with the work and compressing it. When the driver descends the extreme lower end of itsretaining-plate engages with'the bevel P of the anvil, and throws the same out of the way, whereby the crown of the staple is left free to enter the little pocketr, formed in the lower end of the driver, which now descends, pushing the staple before it. As the driver and former descend, the retaining-spring S, is allowed to spring under the driver and under the crown of the staple, thus holding the same snugly in its pocket in the driver, and preventing it from buckling as its ends are driven through the paper. The spring is finally displaced by the retaining plate of the driver after the staple has been inserted, and just before it is driven home. Then just as the former and driver begin to be elevated, the clinching mechanism operates to clinch the ends of the staple upon the opposite side of the book, and the operation above described is repeated, the wire being fed again during the ascentof the former and driver.

We would have it understood that in car- I rying out our invention we do not limit ourselves to the exact construction herein shown and described, nor to combining the particular feeding, forming and driving and clinching mechanisms set forth, as it is apparent that they may be used. in other combinations; for instance, the forming and driving mechanism would be operative with different feeding and different clinching mechanisms.

We are aware that gripping rolls combined with intermeshing driven pinions, one of which is movable toward and from the other, are not broadly new. We are also aware that it is not broadly new to operate two pivotal clinchers by means of a transversely enlarged operating-head located at the upper end of an operating-rod. W'e do not therefore claim either of those constructions broadly.

Having fully described our invention,what

we claim as new, and desire to secure by Let-' ters Patent, is

1 In the feeding mechanism of a staplestitching machine, the combination with two feed-rolls, of two intermeshed pinions to which the said rolls are removably attached respectively, a swinging frame in which one of the said rolls and its pinion are mounted, a tension screw for swinging the said frame to aremounted, a tension screw for swinging.

the said frame to bring the rolls into right relations for gripping the wire, a ratchetwheel mounted on the shaft of the other roll and pinion, a bell-crank-lever, a pawl carried thereby and engaging with the said wheel, an eccentric-rod adjustably connected with the said lever for actuating it and the pawl, and an eccentric for actuating the said rod, substantially as described.

. 3. In a staple-stitching machine, the combination with a staple former having a deep longitudinal groove, of a driver located in the said groove, means for reciprocating the former and driver independently of each other, a pivotal anvil having a horizontal groove to receive the wire, and a retainingspring to engage with and follow the lower face of the crown of the formed staple, sub-. stantially as set forth.

4. In a staple-stitching machine, the combination with a staple former having a deep longitudinal groove, of a driver located in the said groove, means for reciprocating the former and driver independently of each other, a pivotal anvil having a horizontal groove to receive the wire, and a retainingspring applied to the outer face of the anvil,

extended inward under thelower end thereof, and adapted in width to enter the lower end of the groove in the staple former, substantially as set forth.

5. In a staple-stitching machine, the combination with a staple former constructed with a deep longitudinal groove and two small vertical grooves respectively located opposite each other in the walls of the said longitudinal groove, and adapted to receive the wire, of a driver located in the saidlongitudinal groove of the former and composed of a body, a driving-plate attached to the lower end thereof, and made wider than it is to fit into the small grooves of the staple" former, and a retaining-plate corresponding in width to the said body, placed against the driving-plate and extending below the lower edge thereof to form a pocket to receive the crown of the completed staple, substantially as described.

6. In a staple-stitching machine, the combination with the feeding, cuttlng-off and forming and driving mechanisms, of an ecforming and driving mechanism, which it actuates and constructed to have independent connection at a point below its connection centric rod attached to the former of the 3 with the said former with the cutter' of the cutting off mechanism,substantially as described.

7. In a staple-stitching machine, the combination with a feeding mechanism, of a cut-. ting-off mechanism including a spring-actuated rocking arm, and a cutter connected therewith, a forming and driving mechanism including a vertically movable former, and an eccentric-rod directly connected with the said former and having its lower end extended and adapted to engage with the inner end of the rocking-arm of the cutting-oifmechanism,

so that the one rod operates both the former and the said arm, having independent conneotion with each of the said parts substantially as set forth.

8. In the forming and driving mechanism of a staple-stitching machine, the combination with a vertically reciprocal former having a deep longitudinal groove, of. a driver located in the said groove, an eccentric, an eccentric-strap, a rod connecting the eccentric strap with the said former, and a crank connecting theeccentric with the driver, substantially as set forth, and whereby the former v and the driver are independently reciprocated from the same eccentric, substantially-as described. I

9. In astaple=stitching machine having a feeding mechanism a cut-offmechanism, and a staple forming and driving mechanism including a former and a driver,'in combination with a driving-shaft, two eccentrics mounted on the said shaft, connection between one of the said eccentrics and the feeding mechanism whereby the same is operated, and connections between the other eccentric and the cutoff mechanism and the former and driver of the forming and driving mechanism, substantially as set forth.

10. In the clinching mechanism of astaplestitching machine, the combination with two pivotal clinchers, of a vertically movable clinching-rod, provided at its upper end with v a horizontally enlarged clinching-head located between the lower endsof the said clinchers and positively actuating the same both when the rod is raised and lowered,-the said lower ends of the clinchers, and the said head being constructed for the positive operation of the former in both directions substantially as described.

11. In a staple-stitching machine, the combination with a stitching-table, of a post upon which the same is mounted, asocket in which the said post is supported, a spring whichis used simply to assist in adjusting the table,-

interposed between the lower end of the post and the bottom of the socket, and means for fixing the post in any desired position of vertical adjustment in the socket against the tension of the said spring, substantially as set forth, and whereby the spring yields to permit the table to adjust itself to the work to be done after which the post is fixed and the table made permanent in position.

12. In a staple-stitching machine,afeeding mechanism including a ratchet and pawl, a cut-off mechanism including a cutter, and a forming and driving mechanism including a vertically reciprocal former having a deep longitudinal groove, and a driver located in ing witnesses. v

FRANK S. BRADLEY. JOSEPH P. LAVIGNE. Witnesses:

GEORGE D. SEYMOUR, FRED. O. EARLE. 

